Advance to Attack, Retreat to Defend

"Get on." Zhou Yi tilted his head slightly and said.

Su Ning glanced at him cautiously, gripping her backpack straps tightly as she climbed onto the bicycle.

[Illustration]

Su Ning didn’t dare say a word while Zhou Yi was riding, simply staring blankly at the back of his head.

This boy—why was he so hard to figure out sometimes?

Su Ning had never been in a relationship before, so she was completely oblivious to Zhou Yi’s tactics and games.

Zhou Yi’s goal was simple: to break her pride and make her submit to him entirely.

Noticing Su Ning’s prolonged silence behind him, Zhou Yi spoke coolly, "Hold on to me."

This time, Su Ning hesitated. "I... I don’t dare."

"I’m going to speed up. You’ll fall off."

"It’s not like you’d care if I did," Su Ning muttered dejectedly, biting her lip.

A heavy sigh drifted back to her from the front, carrying a hint of unexpected gentleness in the wind. A flicker of hope reignited in her heart.

Maybe Zhou Yi wasn’t as cold-hearted as he seemed?

Zhou Yi kept one hand on the handlebars and reached back with the other, pulling Su Ning’s hands around his waist.

Silence spoke louder than words.

Sometimes, girls were just stubborn. If you took the initiative, they wouldn’t refuse.

Su Ning’s cheeks flushed as she bit her lip, her earlier sadness easing slightly.

Zhou Yi’s push-and-pull left Su Ning’s heart in turmoil—yet it only made her like him even more.

Sometimes, the more mysterious and enigmatic a man was, the more a girl wanted to get closer.

She wanted to glimpse his heart, to step by step enter his world.

For girls, this was far more alluring than a guy who was an open book.

Which was more captivating—a shallow stream or the enigmatic depths of the ocean?

Some girls might prefer straightforward guys because they were easy to control, but that also made them lose interest quickly. The novelty wore off fast.

If they made it past that bland phase, the relationship could stabilize and grow stronger over time.

But some girls would inevitably grow bored and choose to break up.

Whether in love or just flirting, it was all about exploring each other—like playing a game. Where was the fun if you cleared it in one go?

For Su Ning, she was undoubtedly drawn to the latter. She was mesmerized by Zhou Yi’s brilliance and that elusive aura around him—like the wind, impossible to grasp yet swirling around her heart.

There was an interesting topic among girls:

What kind of guy is the most popular at parties, karaoke, or drinking gatherings?

Three answers:

First, the handsome ones.

Second, the funny ones.

Third, the quiet ones.

(Oh, and maybe a fourth—the rich ones. But that only worked on gold-diggers.)

Let’s start with the first. Some good-looking guys ruined their charm the moment they opened their mouths. Being aware of your own attractiveness was dangerous—every gesture screamed, I know I’m hot.

That left girls with an impression of shallowness and cringe. Even if he was handsome, he’d only attract superficial admirers. Initial attraction would skyrocket, only to plummet later.

Funny guys were universally liked. They didn’t even need to be good-looking—they were the life of the party, the ones girls loved chatting with.

But comedians usually ended up in one of two situations:

Either they dated stunning beauties...

Or they got friend-zoned into the "brother" category—because they lacked that captivating vibe.

(Of course, if you were both handsome and funny, forget what I just said.)

The third type was the most discussed—and the one who got asked for his number the most.

The quiet ones.

A handsome guy who barely spoke at a party would inevitably draw more attention.

Because mystery sparked curiosity. It gave girls room to imagine.

The less they knew, the more they wondered—that was the allure of the unknown, fueling their fantasies.

Sometimes, before he even spoke, a whole romantic drama had already played out in her head. (Slight exaggeration.)

In recent years, girls either went for cute "puppy-like" guys or cold, aloof heartthrobs. The latter fit the image of the untouchable male lead from romance novels, so girls would project all kinds of fantasies onto him before even exchanging a word—guessing his personality, his story.

Sometimes, the colder he was, the more she liked him.

Just like how "cuteness is no match for sexiness," a sweet puppy paled in comparison to an enigmatic, untouchable god.

And that was exactly how Zhou Yi had Su Ning wrapped around his finger.

She had always been adored, never knowing hardship. Too many people chased after her—so a little indifference was the right move.

Zhou Yi took her to a milk tea shop.

"Let me carry that for you."

When they got off the bike, he took Su Ning’s backpack without hesitation, leaving her stunned.

First, he rejected her—then he treated her so tenderly. Her heart was in chaos again.

The shop looked more like a café than a typical milk tea place, with its elegant decor.

"What do you want to drink?"

"Anything. I don’t really drink milk tea much."

Zhou Yi nodded and ordered two coffees.

"I thought all girls loved milk tea."

"That’s a stereotype. I thought guys didn’t tear up love letters, either."

Su Ning was clearly still hurt by that incident.

Zhou Yi suddenly smirked.

"And I thought girls didn’t hit people. Yet you slapped me right at the start."

Su Ning opened her mouth but quickly realized she was in the wrong.

"I know I messed up. I’ve regretted it ever since. If you’re still angry, you can hit me back."

"I don’t hit women. What kind of man would that make me?"

Su Ning blinked, resting her chin on her hand as she tilted her head. "Aren’t you curious what I wrote in that letter?"

Zhou Yi shook his head. "Knowing might not be good for me. I don’t want you messing with my head again."

Su Ning smiled, pleased. "You’re scared."

"You’re scared you might like me—which means you can’t even be sure you don’t like me anymore."

Zhou Yi raised a brow but didn’t respond. He didn’t deny it either.

That was the beauty of playing games—if he never said it outright, it didn’t count. Whatever she inferred was her own problem.

No matter what she felt, it was all in her head. What did it have to do with him?

Silence was a move that let him advance or retreat as he pleased.

And his silence made Su Ning happy.

She saw Zhou Yi as someone with a sharp tongue but a soft heart.

[Su Ning’s Affection +5]

Su Ning pressed on, "So... do you like anyone right now?"

Zhou Yi nodded. "Yeah."

Her expression visibly dimmed.

"Do I know her?"

"No."

"What’s she like? I want to know what kind of girl you like."

"She’s... gentle."

Zhou Yi kept it vague, crushing the hope that had just sparked in Su Ning’s heart.

Today had been a rollercoaster of emotions for her. By now, her mood had finally settled into something calmer.

At least for now, she could calmly accept the fact that Zhou Yi no longer liked her.

As for the person Zhou Yi claimed to like—that might not even be true. What if he was deliberately lying to her?

Sometimes, a woman’s capacity for self-deception isn’t much worse than a man’s.

Just then, Zhou Yi’s phone rang.

"Hello, Ruo Lan."

"President Zhou, do you have a moment? I’d like to discuss the recent project investments with you."

"How about we meet for coffee? It’s hard to explain everything over the phone."

"Don’t you have class today, President Zhou?"

"No, I’m having coffee with a friend. I’ll send you the location."

"Alright, I’ll bring the documents with me. Give me ten minutes."